Black Carnival
by xXxMidnightStarxXx
Summary: Ten years after his mother was killed, Cloud Strife lives a peaceful life running a delivery service with his childhood friend, Tifa Lockhart. However, when he meets a mysterious silver-haired man, his life changes drastically again...
1. Silver Roses

**Black Carnival**

xxxmidnightstarxxx: This is my first EVER Final Fantasy 7 fanfic! Hooray!

Cloud: …Aren't you that shoujo manga writer? Why are you even HERE?

xxxmidnightstarxxx: Gee, I dunno, maybe because I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE GAME, CLOUD? (sarcasm)

Zack: We're doomed! She's going to make this story like her other ones!

xxxmidnightstarxxx: SHUT UP ZACK BEFORE I KILL YOU! …But yeah, this is ANOTHER vampire story…

Vincent (how ironic): **Disclaimer: xxxmidnightstarxxx does not own Final Fantasy 7 or its characters. If she did we would be doomed to starring in comedy/romance games…**

xxxmidnightstarxxx: …Vince, I officially remove you from my 'Top Hot Game Characters' list…

Game One: Silver Roses

_"Mama, where are you?" I desperately cried out, running through the woods. The air was frigid, and it was starting to rain. Raindrops fell steadily onto my pale skin, my thin veins showing, my pulse racing as I kept searching for my mother. Branches occasionally whacked me on my arms and face, and some of the scratched were slightly bleeding. I didn't care, though. All I was concerned about was finding my mom. _

_ It had been a harmless stroll at first, during the midday. Mama wanted to pick some flowers to make the home brighter, and I decided to tag along. I wanted to find a pretty rock or two to show to Tifa, my childhood friend. As the sun grew dimmer, Mama told me we should be going around now. However, I wanted to stay longer and find more pretty stones. Mama gave in, and we stayed until the sun had completely set. As we started heading back…Mama…vanished. I don't know how-it was…so sudden! She had been holding my hand, smiling at me when suddenly she was whisked away from me. Some of the flower petals had fallen off…And those events led up to my current situation._

_ "Mama, are you still here? Answer me, Mama!" I shouted in vain. Panic was spreading through my body like poison, adrenaline pumping through my blood…And then, I spotted her. At first, I didn't think anything of how she was positioned; I was just elated to see her. It was when I started running up to her that I noticed what happened to her…_

_ Mama was…lying in a pool of her own crimson blood, her face pointed towards me. There was a deep gash from her left shoulder to her bottom right, and her pretty light blue dress that I loved to bury my head in was torn. Her sunshine-kissed hair was undone and sprawled all over her face, and her eyes were glassy, with no pupils in them. A small river of blood trailed from her mouth to the ground, and in Mama's now loose hand were the flowers she had picked…Seeing Mama like that made my blood ran cold, and as I screamed while running towards her, I noticed __**him.**_

___He was beautiful, with long silky silver hair, his long bangs that framed his angular face parted to either side of it. His eyes were dazzling and bright, the color of jade, and they resembled a wild feline's. He wore a long black coat that blended well into the night, along with silver pauldrons, black boots, and black clothing. His upper chest was partly visible, with crossing leather straps. His physique was muscular and firm and his skin seemed to shine under the moonlight…In his left hand was a long sword with a dark blue hilt…and on the blade was my mother's blood…_

_ "Ma…ma…" was all I could stammer after seeing this grotesque sight. The man noticed me and started walking closer. I backed away, frightened of what seemed to be impending death. Tripping over a branch, I landed on the ground hard, taking away what valuable time I had to escape from his otherworldly man. He towered over me, his eyes gazing down at me, yet there was no bloodlust in it. All I could see was my own miserable self, cowering in fear. Bending over me, he took the side of my face in his right hand and leaned towards me._

_ "No…don't come near me!" I begged, sweat running down my face. His cold lips reached my ear, and he whispered words I couldn't hear…_

"_NO!" _

Rushed footsteps were heard just before my bedroom door was flung open.

"Cloud, what's wrong?" Tifa asked frantically. I panted, swallowed, and caught my breath before I turned to her with a weak smile.

"It's only that nightmare again, Tifa. Nothing to worry about, really," I reassured. She narrowed her eyes at me in suspicion and worry.

"Cloud, you know I can tell that you're lying. You've been having that nightmare since ten years ago! It's not just something you can brush off!" She sighed and shook her head. "Sometimes I really worry about you Cloud…" I leapt out of bed and shooed her out of my room so I could dress.

"Be sure to give me breakfast!" I yelled on the other side of the door.

"Fine!" she replied with a huff. I chuckled and opened my closet, rummaging through my drawers until I found a "decent" outfit, as Tifa would say. I took off my pajamas, which consisted of a loose white T-shirt and black shorts, and put on a dark blue shirt with a white undershirt, black jeans, and a dark leather jacket. I looked at myself in the mirror and decided to wash my face with cool water to get rid of the beads of sweat on my forehead. As I dried my face, I glanced at my wrists, where my veins were still as visible as they had been ten years ago. My complexion was the same as well: creamy white. In truth, I almost looked like a girl, with my perfect skin and blue eyes. If my spiky blond hair was any longer than I would most definitely be considered a woman.

"Cloud, do you want breakfast or not?" Tifa called out from the kitchen. I blinked twice in order to snap out of my dazed state and hurried out of the bathroom before Tifa broke the door.

"I'm off to work!" I said while heading out of the door with a list of people in hand. I did a small delivery service in our small town of Nibelheim for a bit of pocket Gil. Tifa was like the manager of our "company" while I was delivery boy. She wagged her finger at me and put a hand on her hip.

"Don't come back home late now," she warned mockingly. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Yes, _Grandma_," I responded sarcastically before hurrying off on Fenir, my motorcycle. She stomped her foot angrily and shouted after me. I shook my head, laughing.

After I had delivered almost all of the packages, I drove up to the Shinra Mansion, which was a home for Shinra Company executives, but from what I had heard, it was no longer in use. I found it strange that a package would be addressed to here. I knocked on the front door and waited until it was opened by the most beautiful human being I had ever seen. He looked so nostalgic…his features were so similar to the fuzzy image of my mom's killer…was it a coincidence?

"Uh…oh, um, package for you, sir," I mumbled in confusion. I was seriously making a fool of myself here. He chuckled and took the parcel from me.

"Are you the delivery boy?" he asked, his baritone voice smooth and musical almost.

"Y-Yes," I answered, my face heating up for some reason. His cat-like eyes examined me curiously.

"Why don't you come inside and relax for a bit? I'm sure you're tired and all…" he offered with a smile.

"Oh, no, I couldn't…I'd be a bother," I refused as politely as I could. I didn't want to seem rude to this mysterious man.

"Ah, that's a shame…well, I can't force you. My name is Sephiroth…a pleasure to meet you. Your name is?" he introduced.

"Cloud Strife. I live over there," I pointed to Tifa's house," With my childhood friend. We run a somewhat company together." He raised his eyebrows at me in surprise.

"Is that so? Do you not have any parents or relatives to take care of you?" he asked. I froze at his question.

"…My…dad died while working at the Mako reactor here…and my mom…she was killed," I managed to choke out. My body started shaking as I remembered that memory. Sephiroth gently placed a gloved hand on my shoulder and tilted my head up so we were eye to eye.

"Cloud?" he murmured softly, his eyes now gentle. I quickly turned away from him and brushed off his hand, laughing shakily.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you with such depressing stuff about me…Anytime you need a package delivered, please contact Strife Delivery!" I said with fake cheer before running back to Fenir and racing off. A tear rolled down my cheek, and I angrily wiped it off. Why was I crying? I was now sixteen after all, and I had to hurry home and continue my secret investigation on my mom's murder. I had no time for tears.

"Tanaka, you are there, no?" Sephiroth called as he walked into the living room. An elderly man appeared behind him, bowing respectfully.

"At your command, Sephiroth-sama," he replied somberly. Sephiroth smirked and held up an orb of Materia to the dim sunlight.

"Send that little present on the dining table to a boy named Cloud Strife. He lives in a bar called 7th Heaven," he ordered. Tanaka looked up sharply.

"Strife…? Then that human is-"

"Oh, yes…he's the son of that woman the company ordered to kill ten years ago. He's quite an interesting human being…I'll have to keep my eye on him. I haven't seen his dear self for ten years now, and I feel compelled to give him a little gift. Be sure to do your job properly now, Tanaka. You can have your 'dinner' later…" Sephiroth chuckled. Tanaka bowed with the present in his hand and vanished. Sephiroth lay on the red velvet couch and ran a hand through his long silky hair.

"_I'm coming for you Cloud…"_ he hissed as he ran his tongue over his fangs…

"I'm home, Tifa!" I yelled as I walked through the front door.

"Welcome back," she greeted. She seemed to have forgotten me calling her a grandma-

Tifa kicked me hard in the shin.

…OR maybe not…

"Ow, dammit, that hurts Tifa!" I shouted in pain. I rubbed my sore shin as I glared at her. "How do you expect me to drive with an injured leg?"

"Then don't call me a grandma and I won't whack you on the leg!" she snapped. "Go change already. Dinner is almost ready." She walked back to the kitchen. I limped back to my room and locked the door.

"Curse you Tifa for having super-human strength in your legs and hands…" I muttered. I sat in my chair and started to turn on my computer when I noticed a silver rose in an elaborate vase on my desk. There was a card attached as well. I sniffed at the flower and was greeted by a sweet scent, more fragrant than any rose I had ever smelled. It was almost…comforting…it reminded me of my mother's perfume…I opened the card and my eyes widened in shock at the message inside.

_Remember me, Cloud? I'm the one who took your mother's life…and I'm back. Wait for me, will you? I'm coming to get you next… _

_ Silver Crescent_

xxxmidnightstarxxx: I apologize for the immensely DUMB alias for Sephiroth…I had nothing else better…my imagination refuses to work after doing this chapter in an HOUR. *flops down half dead*

Cloud: Why am I so naïve that I can't even figure out that Sephiroth is my mom's killer?

Zack: Ah, poor Cloudy, he can't get a break, can he? Speaking of which, where am **I **this story?

Angeal: Calm down Puppy

xxxmidnightstarxxx: Sorry Zack…here, have a cookie. *tosses cookie to Zack in order to get Zack sugar-high* Anyway, sorry for any LAME descriptions or anything…I don't know how to write dark stories. :/ And as for Tanaka, he's just a random-ass character I made up in a minute. Don't bother paying attention to him.

Sephiroth: Be sure to make my character good in this fanfic, understood? *puts Masamune at my throat*

xxxmidnightstarxxx: Y-Yes, sir! Please don't kill me! I have yet to completely watch a walkthrough of FF7 on Youtube, finish my other Shugo Chara story, write a sequel to my first one, and other miscellaneous things!

Vincent: What about going to college?

xxxmidnightstarxxx: Oh! And that too

Cloud: *pulls out Buster Sword* Please rate and review…*lunges at Sephiroth to do Omnislash Level 5* 


	2. The Warning

**Black Carnival**

xxxmidnightstarxxx: First off, I want to thank every single one of you who reviewed, alerted, favorited, and all that good stuff. I'm seriously awed by how many reviews this simple story got…I mean, first it was 4 and I was amazed…and now SEVEN? Holy Chocobos that's a MIRACLE!

Zack: *poke* Am I in this story or not? D:

xxxmidnightstarxxx: In fact you are Puppy. As thanks to all the wonderful reviewers I've decided to make you and Aeris in this story. Kudos to Lady Renzies for bringing that up…I was planning to add the Remnants anyway but adding the Puppy and Aeris is a good idea too :D

Cloud: **Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 7 does not belong to xxxmidnightstarxxx nor does its characters. They do in her dreams though.**

Game Two: The Warning

_"Cloud, are you okay?" Tifa asked me, her expression worried as she peered at me. It was just after my mom's funeral…Why was it that the weather had to be so gloomy? The ash grey clouds in the dark sky covered up the once-bright sun, letting only a few dim rays of light shine down on the barren ground. …? Why was it raining all of a sudden? Suddenly I felt Tifa's gentle hand on my cheek. "…Cloud?" she whispered, wiping at my eyes. It was then that I noticed that it wasn't rain; rather, it was me, crying like a baby. My tears were staining the ground, turning it dark like my mom's blood had to the ground in the forest. I turned away from Tifa, angrily wiping my face with my wrist._

_ "Don't look at me right now," I choked out, my throat constricting. I didn't want to be looked at like a child. I wished I was an adult so the police could take me seriously. No one paid any attention to a __**"brat"**__ after all. The police officers had merely laughed at my testimony, saying that such a man didn't even exist in their records. They rubbed my hair playfully, telling me to just go home, relax, and act like a quote on quote "normal" child. Rage had filled up in me…a dark, ugly, gruesome rage that burned in my chest hotter than any fire ever known to man. _

_ "Cloud, it's okay to cry…I mean, your mom just passed away and all…," Tifa comforted, touching my shoulder. I turned around to face her again tearfully. _

_ "No one believes me but you Tifa. No one believes me when I tell them about the silver-haired man with that long sword…," I sobbed, rubbing at my eyes. Tifa looked at me in the face with her chocolate-colored eyes into my watery sky-blue ones._

_ "It's not your fault Cloud; it's the police. I bet you that man has something to do with Shinra," Tifa assured, her eyes flashing dangerously when she mentioned Shinra. She hated that company with a burning passion, and with good reason, too. I knew what she meant, though. Shinra controlled pretty much everything in our town…the press to the school district…everything. _

_ Wait a minute…that was my answer…if the police couldn't help me…_

_ Then I'd have to solve this case by myself._

"No…way…this-this can't be happening!" I yelled, flinging the vase at my wall, shattering it to pieces. I heard Tifa running up the stairs, and I could just picture her expression as she banged on my door.

"Cloud, what's the matter? Open up!" she called anxiously from the other side of my bedroom door. It was a wall that separated me from the outside world…it separated Tifa from my hidden darkness. I didn't want to get people involved. Because if they did…I was afraid they too would end up dead. I unlocked the door and opened it slightly, giving Tifa a ghost of a smile.

"There's nothing wrong Tifa. You were just hearing things," I reassured, inching out of my small crack and locking my door from the outside. She glared at me in frustration.

"Cloud, why do you always push others away from you? You act like your life is so damn hard, and there's a reason why it is: you never allow anyone to help you! If you just confided in me more-"

"…I'm going out. Leave me some dinner, please," I interrupted, quickly striding out the door.

"Cloud-!" I jumped on Fenir and roared off to the Shinra Mansion gates, parking my motorcycle there and leaned against the metal bars, slowing sinking to the ground. I closed my eyes wearily… Suddenly, the ground opened up under me, and I plummeted down like Alice falling into the rabbit hole. My destination, though, was different. I fell into a beautiful flower field, and the scenery was blank, like a fresh canvas. The air was scented with the flowers' perfume, and it seemed to almost sooth my very soul.

"You're lost, aren't you?" a clear resonating voice, like a bell asked me. I turned around to see a beautiful girl around my age with a light blue summer dress adorned with a flower pattern. She had sea-green eyes that shone with a gentle light, and long auburn hair tied back with a pink ribbon. Her smile seemed sad as she glanced at me, turning her head side to side.

"What do you mean?" I asked, blinking in confusion as she shook her head sadly.

"Your eyes…they look lost. You lost someone dear to you, didn't you? That man took it all away…," she sighed, sitting next to me. I glanced at her.

"Do you know him? My mom's killer, I mean." She bowed her head down and nodded, gently fingering the flowers. "Did he…" my voice started to crack," Did he…kill you?" She touched my hand softly, and it reminded me of my mom and the way she would sigh and kiss my scrapes and run her hands through my hair. I started to cry and bent my head so this girl wouldn't see.

"I just wish I could get rid of this weight…it hurts so much," I whispered. I heard the girl sigh.

"Pain…is hard to bear. That weight is hard to lift, but before that, you have to realize what is truly stabbing you." I looked up at her as she turned to me, smiling.

"Only you…can find the answer."

"Cloud? _Cloud!"_ a voice kept calling out to me. I groggily opened my eyes to see that it was Sephiroth. One of his knees was bent and his long hair tickled my face softly, like feathers. I couldn't help but laugh a little at the feeling. One of his hands caressed my face gently, and his face was close to mine. "Are you okay? I saw you sitting here outside…" He helped me up, and I accidentally fell into his arms. I couldn't help but notice that he smelled nice…like roses and vanilla…I blushed as his arms tightened around me and I gripped his clothes tighter. I wanted to close my eyes and bask in his presence, and then slowly, gently, fall asleep. Yes…sleep, peaceful sleep, would be nice…I then heard Sephiroth chuckle, and I hurriedly pulled myself away, straightening my hair and clothes in a flurry.

"Um…I'm sorry," I blurted out, mentally smacking myself for acting like an idiot. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"What are you apologizing for, may I ask? I quite enjoyed that hug…_Cloud_." He purred out my name, accenting that very word while his mesmerizing eyes pierced into me like shards of glass, rooting me where I stood. "Well then…as seeing the night grows darker I must suggest to you strongly that you stay at my residence for the night." He gently pushed me towards the entrance while I kept protesting meekly. "Tanaka," he ordered to an elderly man at the doorway, "Take care of his motorcycle, will you?" Whoa, wait a second, he was asking an eighty-year old man to move my heavy bike? I started to say this out loud when Sephiroth put a gloved finger at my lips, smiling mysteriously.

"Sephiroth…?" I whispered, confused at his expression.

"It is nothing. Come, let me show you your room," he brushed off. I nodded and started looking around the room, while he closed the doors slowly…with an expression I couldn't see.

On top of a tree branch, watching Shinra Mansion was a young man in his twenties, with spiky black hair pulled back and intense blue eyes. His skin was tanned and worn from many fights, and the X-shaped scar on his face only added to his appearance of toughness. On his back he wore a large sword almost as tall as him, and certainly wider. His eyes were closed, but they opened as he felt a faint presence behind him.

"Aeris," he merely stated, not bothering to turn around to confirm his suspicions. His voice seemed oddly weary, not suiting one of his age. There was a faint trace of sadness as well mingled in with his tone. "What do you want?"

"Zack," she murmured, her eyes full of sympathy and sadness for the warrior who stood in front of her. "Do you intend to let that boy end up the same as me and Angeal? What about Genesis, and even Angeal's mother? Will you let Sephiroth repeat the same tragedy?"

"I'm tired of fighting, Aeris. I don't want to see anyone else hurt, but I don't want to lift up this sword again either." Zack lifted up his sword and bowed his head to its blade. "I'm just letting Angeal's pride and honor go to waste, huh?" he laughed without humor, making it sound hollow. "I'm a coward."

"Zack, you aren't a coward. If anyone had experienced the same amount of grief as you, then they would be at the same spot you are right now," Aeris soothed, putting a hand on his shoulder. He sighed and put his sword back. Glancing at Tanaka who was rolling Fenir away, he narrowed his eyes and crouched in an ambushing position.

"Alright then, I'll try my best. Watch me, Aeris!" he yelled as he lunged at the unsuspecting Tanaka, his hand at his sword.

xxxmidnightstarxxx: A cliffhanger! Yay! :D I updated this story kinda quick so you all can enjoy thinking of what's gonna happen next.

Zack: I don't wanna be an emo in this story D:

Cloud: At least you're not a naïve guy who's in love with your mom's killer…

xxxmidnightstarxxx: *rolls eyes* Shut up, Cloud. And Zack, your personality is much more cheerful in "When Siblings Collide." Which reminds me, my evil twin has some good plans for chapter 2…*evil smirk at Cloud*

Cloud: Oh $h!t…

Aeris: Please rate and review! Constructive criticism is also welcomed! Just please don't make it sound mean…And please continue to enjoy the story!

xxxmidnightstarxxx: I LOVE YOU ALL! *runs off to avoid being killed by Cloud*


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